Chloride
What is it? Chloride is a negatively charged ion that is formed when chlorine gains an additional electron. It is often found in the form of sodium and potassium salts, which are very soluble in water. Road salts are a common example, which spike chloride levels.
Why is it important? Almost all natural bodies of water contain chloride, but the concentrations can vary depending on the mineral content of the surrounding rock or soil. Chloride also enters the water from human sources including: agricultural runoff, road salts, industry wastewater, among other things. Our new winter testkits are particularly concerned with road salt contamination.
What does it mean? Testing for this parameter can be one way of measuring pollution in water. Above normal concentrations can significantly impact plant and aquatic life. Some plankton are very sensitive to large concentrations, and without these little guys to eat the algae, we see significant problems like lack of dissolved oxygen. Chloride is also an important indicator of road salts, and we monitor this parameter in our winter testkits. Road salt contamination can have a range of impacts on aquatic ecosystems, drinking water, infrastructure, and so much more.